No, this isn’t exactly photography or design related.
Yes, this is my blog and I do what I want… for, I am engaged to the beautiful light-of-my-life Sarah Smith!!

The proposal took more than a few months of preparation to make sure everything went just right, and in the end it couldn’t of gone any better. Knowing me, I would have to do something creative and special for the proposal. One year ago I spent the weekend with her family at the annual Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC. This was the first family trip that I had done with Sarah, and thought it was a special moment. After over a year our love grew for each other, and the voice in my head said “this is the one”… But, I had to make the proposal special. So either wait until the next Cooper River Bridge Run for 4 months watching my girlfriend anxiously pace around while I ignored the marriage subject, or pop the question randomly.. I chose the first option.

I would propose to my girlfriend at the top of the Cooper River Bridge during the race, with pictures (of course). First I had to ask her father for permission (over BBQ), he smiled and agreed. Next, I had to sign up for the race. Her father would organize her side of the family, so she wouldn’t get suspicious. After that, I had to find a trusty photographer to take the pictures during the proposal. I had worked with Ben Sassani many times in the past, and I knew he was my guy. The hard part would be finding Ben in a sea of 32,000 people (thank you Find My Friends for iPhone!).

The day had finally come and the show was on. The morning march to the race at 5am was brisk, followed by a warming sunrise. Sarah, her mom, father, family friend Jaime and I were staged at the starting line. In just a few moments I would be proposing to my girlfriend, so I was a little nervous. Good thing running around can cure some butterflies! We near the top and I see my photographer/friend Ben, whew! All is good. So I then give Ben “the sign” that I’m about to propose, which will forever go down in memory. I jump high in the air not once, twice, three, but four times yelling “TOP OF THE BRIDGE!!!” I got a lot of weird looks, but on the last one I fall to the ground in an Oscar winning display of pain to my foot.

I yell and scream, drawing an even bigger crowd (as if my idiotic jumps didn’t do that already). Sarah frantically crouches down to make sure I’m OK, I lift her up and say “I can’t go any further… I can’t go any further, without you”. And I pull out the ring. I’ll never forget the look on Sarah’s face during that moment, ever.

YESSS! A huge gorilla has just been lifted off my back! I had not just invited Sarah’s family to the event, but my family as well. After this moment we could all speak freely over a wonderful dinner with lots of wine at Burwell’s Stone Fire Grill. The fun part was how much attention we received. Within a few hours after the race we had been tagged randomly on facebook, and nearly all of our friends found out! On top of that, after the race a journalist for the local paper Post and Courier did a nice little article about the proposal.

Many many many many many thanks to Sarah’s father for helping make this all happen. No doubt the best weekend of my life so far, and the beginning of a lifetime of happiness together.

***** EDIT *****
This article was posted a few minutes before the Boston Marathon bombing. Our thoughts go out to the victims of this inhumane senseless act of violence.

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ABOUT ME

Born in South Carolina, schooled in Tennessee, desk job designing magazines in Los Angeles, take lots of pictures, move back to Greenville, SC, get married, take lots more pictures, drink beer, ride bikes, be happy.